Two-part last



Patented Oct. 16, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TWO-PART LAST Victor J. Lcvaggi, Jr., Beverly, Mass., assignor to United Last Company, Portland, Maine, a corporation of Maine 8 Claims.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide an improved two-part last of the type in which oblique joint surfaces of the forepart and heel part are arranged to abut each other at the top and bottom of the last when the parts are in last-forming relation.

A novel feature provided by the invention is embodied in a link connecting the parts and located in kerfs extending heightwise in the joint portions of both parts. The link has a simple pivotal connection with a pin in one of the parts, but a latching connection with a pin in the other part, the pins being so located that the parts will be positively maintained in lastforming relation by the link when the latchin relation is established.

The invention also provides for preserving all of the outer surface of the cone of a last despite the kerfs provided for the connecting link. This may be done by leaving some stock above the upper ends of the kerfs to close them when the parts are in last-forming relation. Some stock may also be left below the lower ends of the kerfs to close them at the bottom of the last. The stock thus left intact not only provides strength to resist splitting the parts, but it also preserves a neat appearance and prevents tacks and other small objects from dropping into the kerfs where they might obstruct the movements of the link or interfere with the action of a latching spring.

When the ends of the kerfs are closed, access to the link for the purpose of displacing it from its latching position is afforded by a passageway through the front side of the last-pin socket which, for that purpose, adjoins the kerf in the heel part. The tip of a screw-driver inserted through the socket and the passageway will serve to displace the link from its latching position, but, in some circumstances, a bench-jack of the type herein illustrated will be more convenient. Such a jack comprises a last-pin in which a lever is mortised, the lever being designed and arranged not only to displace the link in a, last but also to hook the heel part and thereby retain it on the last-pin while a shoe is being stripped from the last.

The invention embodied in the jack is claimed in my companion application Serial No. 578,397, filed February 1'7, 1945.

Referringto the drawing,

Fig. l is a sectional view of a last embodying the invention and mounted on a lack provided with means for unlatching the link;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the mid-portion of the last and represents the result of unlatching its link;

Fig. 3 is another sectional view in which the joint portion of the forepart is raised and rocked as indicated by broken lines in Fig. l; v

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the joint portions of the forepart and heel part in last-forming relation; and

Fig. 5 is a section through the elements intersected by line V-V in Fig. 3.

The forepart Ill and heel part H may be integral when the last is turned in a lathe, and thereafter divided by making two fiat oblique saw-cuts that break joint, and cracking the wood between the inner extremities of the cuts. One such cut intersects the ridge l2 of the cone and provides the joint portions with oblique abutting faces I3 and I4. The other cut divides the shank from the heel seat and provides the joint portions with oblique abutting faces I5 and Hi. This method of dividing the forepart and the heel part also provides them with cooperative stop shoulders I1 and I8.

Prior to dividing the last, it may be bored to provide three pin-holes I9, 20 and 2| (Fig. 4), all extending widthwise through the joint region, and one bore extending heightwise in the heel part for reception of a last-pin socket 22.

After the last has been divided, a kerf 23- is cut in the forepart and a registering kerf 2.4 is cutin the. heel part, these kerfs extending heightwise in the joint portions but neither of them intersecting the ridge l2 of the cone nor the bottom of the last. The stock remaining above and below the ends of the kerfs not only reinforces the parts against splitting, but also closes the cavity formed by the kerfs when the parts are in last-forming relation (Fig. 1).

A pivot pin 25. located in the bore 2t bridges the kerf 2.3., while a latching pin 26 located in the bore 2c bridges the kerf 24. These pins are connected by a link 21 arranged in the kerfs. The thickness of the link is preferably commensurate with the width of thekerfs (Fig. 5) to insure flush relation of the par-ts when they are in last-forming relation. A round hole is bored through the; link to receive the pin 25 and to provide a simple pivotal connection therewith, but an elbow slot 28 is provided for the latching pin 25. One wall of this slot forms a rounded latching shoulder 29- arranged to hook the pin 26 (Fig. 1) when the parts are in lastformin-g relation and thereby maintain the oblique joint surfaces of the parts in abutting relation, but the stop shoulders H and I8 must position. The 'springextends around the pivotally connected end of the link and has two confronting spring arms 3| and 32 between which a terminal hook for engagement with an anchoring pin 34 located in the hole I 9 (Fig. 4) and bridging the kerf 24. The normal distance between the arms 3| and 32 is a little less than the width of the link. Consequently, it is necessary to spring the arms away from each other to nest the link between them, and to flex the arm 3| slightly away from the link when drivingthe pin 34 through the terminal hook thereof. Once these elements are assembled, the free end of the arm 32 is continuously under spring bias toward the pin 34 in all positions of the link.

Broken line A in Fig. 4 intersects the centers of the pin-holes and 2| in which the latching pin 26 and the pivot pin are located. Broken line B is at right-angles to the abutting joint surfaces l3 and I4, and its purpose is to indicate the slant of line A with respect to the surfaces 3 and 4 when the forepart and heel part are in last-forming relation. The focal point of lines A and. B corresponds to the point of contact between the latching pin and the latching shoulder 29 when the link is latched (Fig. 1). It is apparent that relative movement of the parts I0 and in one direction is positively prevented by the stop shoulders I! and I8, but these shoulders do not, of course, prevent relative movement in the opposite direction. Nevertheless, since the faces l3 and I4 abut each other and since the distance between the pin 25 and the latching shoulder 29 is constant, the link and the two pins 25 and 26 positively maintain the stop shoulders I1 and I8 one against the other so long as the latching shoulder is held against the latching pin by the spring 30. On the other hand, a slight separa tion of the stop shoulders might be possible if the pin-line A were at right-angles to the abutting surfaces l3 and M.

The last-pin socket 22 is provided with a passageway through which a screw-driver or other instrumentality may be inserted to engage the link 21 and pry it away from its latching position, but for shoemaking routine that requires removal of many shoes from lasts of this type a last-supporting stand such as that shown in Fig. l is more convenient. The base 36 of this stand may be fastened to a bench by screws. It is provided with an upright post 31 the upper portion of which is of a size to enter the socket 22. A hand-lever 38 is mortised into the post and connected thereto by a pivot pin 39. A hook-shaped nose 4!] formed on the lever is adapted to enter the socket when the last is mounted on the post. When the passageway 35 in the socket stands in register with the nose, the latter may pass through it to retract the link from its latching position (Fig. 2). At the same time the mouth of the socket and the nose become interlocked and are then effective to retain the heel part on the post 31 while the forepart is bing forced up to the position indicated by broken lines in Fig. 1.

When the latching shoulder 29 is displaced from the latching pin, little effort is needed to shorten t e last, since the link may then slide the link is nested. The arm 3| is curved to form I freely on that pin within the range of the slot 28. Once the parts have been shifted to the positions shown in Fig. 3 they will be restrained in that relation by the spring 30 because some deflection of the arm 32 away from the anchoring pin 34 is required to return them to the point where the latching shoulder will again hook the latching pin. 1

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A two-part last comprising a forepart and a heel part having abutting oblique surfaces and cooperative stop shoulders, each of said parts having a kerf extending heightwise in its joint portion, a connecting link arranged in the kerfs, a pivot pin connecting said link and one of said parts, a latching pin connecting the link and the other one of said parts, the link having a slot forming a latching shoulder arranged to hook said latching'pin when said stop shoulders are seated one on the other and thereby hold said parts in abutting relation, and a spring arranged to swing the link about said pivot pin to its latching position. 7

2. A two-part lastcomprising a forepart and a heel part having abutting oblique surfaces and cooperative stop shoulders, each of said parts having a kerf extending heightwise in its joint portion, a connectin link arranged in the kerfs, a pivot pin connecting said link and one of said parts, a latching pin connecting the link and the other one of said parts, the link having a slot forming a latching shoulder arranged to hook said latching pin when said stop. shoulders are seated one on the other and thereby hold said parts in abutting relation, the axes of said pins being arranged to lie in a plane inclined to the obliquejoint surfaces intersected thereby when said parts are in last-forming relation, and a spring arranged to swing the link about said pivot pin to its latching position.

3. A two-part last comprising a forepart and a heelpart having abutting oblique flat surfaces and cooperative stop shoulders, each of said parts having a kerf extending heightwise in its joint portion, a connecting link arranged in the kerfs, a pivot pin connecting said link and one of said parts, a latching pin connecting the link and the other one of said parts, the link having a slot forming a rounded latching shoulder arranged to cooperate with said latching pin to draw said parts against each other when said stop shoulders are seated one on the other, and a spring arranged to swing the link about said pivot pin to its latching'position.

4. A two-part last comprising a forepart and a heel part having oblique fiat joint surfaces intersecting the ridge of the cone and the forward end of the heel seat, said surfaces being stepped to provide cooperative stop shoulders and eachof said parts having a kerf extending heightwise in its joint portion, the upper ends of said kerfs being below the ridge of the cone to be closed by the latter when the parts are in lastforming relation, 2. connecting link arranged in said kerfs, a pivot pin connecting the link and one of said parts, a latching pin connecting the link and the other one of said parts, the link having a slot forming a latching shoulder arranged to hook said latching pin when said parts are in last-forming relation, and a spring arranged to swing the link about said pivot pin to its latching position,

5. A two-part last comprising a forepart'and a heel part abutting oblique flat surfaces and cooperative stop shoulders, each of said parts having a kerf extending heightwise in its joint portion, a connecting link arranged in the kerfs, a pivot pin connecting said link and the forepart, a latching pin connecting the link and the heel part, the link having a slot forming a latching shoulder arranged to hook said latching pin when said parts are in last-forming relation, and a spring arranged to swing the link about said pivot pin to its latching position, the heel part having an opening in the top of its cone portion through which an instrumentality may be inserted to engage the link and retract it from its latching position.

6. A two-part last comprising a forepart and a heel part having abutting oblique joint surfaces and cooperative stop shoulders, each of said parts having a kerf extending heightwise in its joint portion and a transverse pin bridging its kerf, a link occupying said kerfs and connecting said pins, the link having simple pivotal engagement with one of said pins but an elbow slot occupied by the other, one wall of said slot constituting a cam surface arranged to engage said other pin and thereby draw said pins one toward the other when said parts are in last-forming relation, and a spring arrangement to swing the link in the direction that renders said cam surface effective.

'7. A two-part last comprising a forepart and a heel part having abutting oblique joint surfaces and cooperative stop shoulders, each of said parts having a kerf extending heightwise in its joint portion, a pivot pin bridging the kerf in the forepart, a latching pin bridging the kerf in the heel part, a link arranged in said kerfs and connecting said pins, the link having simple pivotal engagement with said pivot pin but an elbow slot occupied by said-latching pin and forming a latching shoulder arranged to hook the latter when said parts are in last-forming relation, 3, spring arranged to swing the link to its latching position, and a last-pin socket in the heel part having a passageway through which an instrumentality may be inserted to engage the link and retract it from its latching position.

8. A two-part last comprising a forepart and a heel part having oblique joint surfaces arranged to abut one another when the parts are in'last-forming relation, each of said parts having a kerf extending heightwise in its joint portion, a pivot pin bridging the kerf in one of said parts, a latching pin and an anchoring pin both bridging the kerf in the other, a link arranged in said kerfs and connecting said pivot pin and said latching pin, the link having an elbow slot occupied by the latching pin and forming a shoulder arranged to, hook that pin when said parts are in last-forming relation, and a leaf spring extending around one end of the link and i having two confronting spring arms between which the link is nested, one of said arms having a hook engaging said anchoring pin and the other engaging the link to swing it to its latching position.

VICTOR J. LEVAGGI, JR. 

